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Man says landscaper asked to bury his cat in backyard, but instead it was a dead baby

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Updated: 11:50 PM EST Jan 11, 2019

Man says landscaper asked to bury his cat in backyard, but instead it was a dead baby

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Updated: 11:50 PM EST Jan 11, 2019

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WEBVTT DETAILS OF HOW THE BODY GOT THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. REPORTER: THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE HOUSE WHERE THE 1-YEAR-OLD WAS BURIED TELL ME THEY KNEW DAVID ZUBER WELL BECAUSE HE WAS THEIR LANDSCAPER. THEY SAY HE ASKED THEM IF HE COULD BURY HIS DEAD CAT IN THEIR BACKYARD, BUT LATER FOUND OUT IT WAS REALLY A CHILD AFTER INVESTIGATORS KNOCKED ON THEIR DOOR. >> HE PULL THE WEEDS, HE CUTS THEM OUT. HE MOWS THE LAWN. HE TAKES CARE OF THE BUSHES AND EVERYTHING. AND EVERYTHING, HE HAS BEEN ACTING A LITTLE STRANGE. >> HE AND MOST OF HIS ROOMMATES WENT ON A VACATION AT THE END OF DECEMBER. WHEN THEY WERE GONE, THEIR LANDSCAPER CALL HIM FOR A FAVOR. >> IT WAS A CAT THAT HAD DIED AND HE NEEDED TO BURY IT. >> IT WAS NOT A STRANGE FAVOR TO ASK BECAUSE THEY USE THEIR BACKYARD AS A PET CEMETERY. >> THIS IS WHERE WE BURIED ALL OF OUR DOGS THAT HAVE PASSED AWAY. >> HE GOT A KNOCK ON THEIR DOOR. >> EVERYBODY IS OUT HERE. >> THEY WERE ARRESTED LAST WEEK AND CHARGED WITH CHILD ABUSE RESULTING IN DEATH. AFTER THE BODY OF THEIR ONE-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WAS DISCOVERED IN THE BACKYARD. >> THE REMAINS OF A DEAD DOG, THE BODY WAS INSIDE OF A TRASH BAG INSIDE OF A DUFFEL BAG. >> THEY HAD NO CLUE WHO BURIED THE BODY AND DID NOT -- NO CLUE THAT HE BURIED THE BODY AND DID NOT EXPECTED FROM HIM. >> EVERY TIME I SEE THIS, I WONDER WHY. >> THEY CONFISCATED MOST OF THEIR ELECTRONICS. LIKE CELL PHONES AND TAB

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Man says landscaper asked to bury his cat in backyard, but instead it was a dead baby

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Updated: 11:50 PM EST Jan 11, 2019

An Albuquerque man says his landscaper asked to bury his dead cat in the man's backyard, but it was really the body of the landscaper's 1-year-old daughter."He pulled the weeds, mows the yard, he takes care of the bushes of everything and lately he's been acting a little strange. We noticed that before (the) Christmas holiday,” said Thurman Dunn, who lives in the home where the body was found.Dunn said he and most of his roommates went on vacation at the end of December.He says while they were gone, their landscaper, David Zuber, called them for a favor."It was a cat that had died, one of his cats, and he needed to bury it," Dunn said.Dunn says it wasn't a strange favor for Zuber to ask because they use their backyard as a pet cemetery."Basically, this is where we have buried all of our dogs that have passed away," said Dunn.But when they got back at the beginning of January, Dunn says they got a knock on their door."Homeland Security, investigation teams, dig sites, everybody's here," said Dunn.Albuquerque police say Zuber and his girlfriend, Monique Romero, were arrested last week and charged with child abuse resulting in death after the body of their 1-year-old daughter, Anastazia Romero, was discovered buried in Dunn's backyard."It was buried in the backyard underneath the remains of a dead dog. The body was inside two layers of a white, plastic trash bag inside of a black duffel bag," said Dunn.He said they had no clue Zuber buried the child’s body in their home and didn't expect it from him."It’s truly devastating, to be honest with you. Every time I see this, I wonder why," said Dunn.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —

An Albuquerque man says his landscaper asked to bury his dead cat in the man's backyard, but it was really the body of the landscaper's 1-year-old daughter.

"He pulled the weeds, mows the yard, he takes care of the bushes of everything and lately he's been acting a little strange. We noticed that before (the) Christmas holiday,” said Thurman Dunn, who lives in the home where the body was found.

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Dunn said he and most of his roommates went on vacation at the end of December.

He says while they were gone, their landscaper, David Zuber, called them for a favor.

"It was a cat that had died, one of his cats, and he needed to bury it," Dunn said.

Dunn says it wasn't a strange favor for Zuber to ask because they use their backyard as a pet cemetery.

"Basically, this is where we have buried all of our dogs that have passed away," said Dunn.

But when they got back at the beginning of January, Dunn says they got a knock on their door.

Albuquerque police say Zuber and his girlfriend, Monique Romero, were arrested last week and charged with child abuse resulting in death after the body of their 1-year-old daughter, Anastazia Romero, was discovered buried in Dunn's backyard.

"It was buried in the backyard underneath the remains of a dead dog. The body was inside two layers of a white, plastic trash bag inside of a black duffel bag," said Dunn.

He said they had no clue Zuber buried the child’s body in their home and didn't expect it from him.

"It’s truly devastating, to be honest with you. Every time I see this, I wonder why," said Dunn.